Facing an Ancient God for a Year

Chapter 1475: Chapter 1473: The Recipe for a Comeback

”Yes... it seems the Jiang Family has completely abandoned him. What is this?”

Clearly not expecting a detour for a stroll, Wen Li instinctively replied while holding a small transparent bottle in her palm, asking curiously.

It was slightly larger than a thumb, with no markings.

You could see it contained about half a bottle of thick liquid, and you could vividly sense the heat as if it were molten wax.

”A thank-you gift.”

Casually casting aside any fears of a lingering chill, Fu Qian had already stood up.

”For the help before? That would certainly be an unexpected joy for Jiang En.”

Wen Li was perceptive, seemingly grasping the idea quickly, and as she stood to follow, her gaze toward the item in her hand grew increasingly serious.

She clearly didn’t mind such a leisurely walk, including the notion of a thank-you gift, which she accepted without doubt.

In her heart, Mr. Fu had always been generous and open-handed.

But what exactly is this thing for... are you supposed to drink it?

”Could this possibly help Jiang En solve his bottleneck problem?”

The next moment, her heart skipped a beat, suddenly realizing something, and she abruptly looked up at Fu Qian.

...

The girl has good intuition.

Faced with such sharpness, Fu Qian returned a look of appreciation without any pretense.

”Deception Ritual Elixir, it’s not for drinking; you use it to cover the eyes.”

The next moment, he pointed at the small bottle, explaining the correct usage.

”As for the effect, it allows a Transcendent to rise using a ceremony that doesn’t belong to them. Not sure if there are any side effects.”

”This kind of unconventional approach suddenly seems to fit Brother Jiang En’s character, and I hope it will bring him some gains.”

That’s right, the Deception Ritual Elixir that Fu Qian handed to Wen Li was precisely a reward he had received earlier.

Since its effect is only valid for those at the Middle Tier or below, evidently, he couldn’t use it now.

And during this Calamity invasion event, Brother Jiang En was indeed a workhorse, so why not grant him some fortuitous opportunity?

Of course, that’s the more straightforward reason.

As for the less straightforward one?

From yesterday to now, hope, deterrence, and Punishment have been successively given to the Greedy Worm group; next, a successful example they can see is due.

Unlike his predecessors, Brother Jiang En still showed some persistence in certain regards.

This made him a deviant among the horde, or perhaps a defector.

For instance, upon realizing the increasingly inhumane nature of the promotion ceremonies, he ultimately chose to abandon them and went home to seek a different approach to defy fate.

Of course, what Jiang En didn’t know was that this rebelliousness was always under his elders’ control.

Also, because of the task demands, all his painstaking efforts were ruthlessly crushed, leaving him with no hope for advancement.

In this situation, it was actually a wise decision for the family to give up on him.

But what if, under the God’s enlightenment, such a character was to be reborn through Nirvana?

What kind of exemplary effect would that create?

It would benefit the confidence of the entire team greatly, and it wouldn’t even be purely spiritual encouragement.

The essence of Jiang En as an Oath Taker means that if he achieves advancement, the benefits would not be solely his; everyone would gain a little real advantage.

By that time, the Greedy Worms wouldn’t even consider discarding him to find someone new; instead, they’d immediately herald him as the rising star to learn from his advanced experiences comprehensively.

...

Using a ceremony belonging to someone else for advancement...

It was evident that, although she had an inkling, the effects of the Deception Ritual Elixir had still left Wen Li a bit shocked.

So much so that even while walking side by side with Fu Qian out the door, she couldn’t resist examining the nondescript potion in her hand.

The effects of such an item go far beyond mere opportunistic trivialities.

Even as a new star in the Supernatural Realm, the agony before ascending to the Sixth Phase was something Wen Li never forgot, especially in comparison with many peers in Shangjing.

The difficulty of ascension between different ability types is sometimes not even a comparable concept.

If it truly allowed for substitution, or another attempt for those initially without hope...

Even if the method seemed a bit bizarre and might leave some latent issues, surely few would refuse, right?

Unsurprisingly, Mr. Fu always managed to have such wonderful items.

”So, handing it to me means I’m supposed to present the thank-you gift later?”

Her mood suddenly more relaxed, Wen Li played with the Spiritual Medicine in her hand, even jokingly teasing.

”Of course, weren’t you the one to make the most of it before?”

However, what she didn’t expect was for the other party to nod seriously, speaking with a tone full of righteous expectation.

... Even if that’s true, wasn’t I acting on your instructions?

Finding herself suddenly responsible as the mastermind, Wen Li was momentarily dumbfounded.

”Alright... but I can’t give it under that name, can I?”

The next moment, she weakly asked.

”Of course not, that would likely scare Brother Jiang En to death. Gifting has to be done skillfully, and everyone has their comfort zone.”

Fu Qian patted his chest, indicating he had it all planned out.

”According to my information, Brother Jiang En leans towards relying solely on oneself, believing that heaven helps those who help themselves.”

...

”That’s pretty much how he was when I came over before.”

Moving slowly as if resting at noon, the two with their leisurely steps and demeanor fully justified the phrase, truly leisurely strolling all the way without even taking a vehicle.

By the time they reached their destination, it was already what could be termed as a high-noon sun.

Yet despite such light, it strangely couldn’t dispel the air of decay lingering here.

With such immersion in shadow, even Miss Wen appeared as a seasoned repeat offender, bringing Fu Qian to a secluded corner and skillfully dismantling the protective netting set by Jiang En’s family, entering the abode.

It didn’t take long before she gestured toward a particular closed door, lowering her voice to speak.

”Self-isolated, diminished posture.”

”However, I noticed the thing on his arm is quite peculiar, seeming to forcibly keep his body lively, making the contrast with his posture rather awkward.”

”Fangthroat.”

Nodding slightly in acknowledgment of Wen Li’s intuition, Fu Qian provided the name of Jiang En’s Extraordinary Item.

The scene behind the door was naturally crystal clear in his perception.

The legendary North’s Jiangen lay blankly on his side, half asleep and half awake, resembling a tranquil sleeping Arhat.

But simultaneously, on Jiang En’s one upper arm, a tight ring was firmly clamped, precisely the item he acquired from that exclusive auction.

Wearing it was painful but could significantly increase the activity of flesh and blood, with the side effect being a shortened lifespan.

It’s said that this is how the Tooth Throat Lay Buddhist got his name, too.

Of course, at that time, getting this item for Jiang En was to help him recover quickly and thus complete the ceremony with utmost efficiency.

Lying there with it even in broad daylight, the most flattering explanation seemed to be enduring hardship.

But it was enough; as the saying goes, ’Heaven blesses the assiduous.’

Instantly confirming North’s Jiangen’s reversal plot, Fu Qian initiated the Clear Dream Ring.